Some of My Better Thoughts

I was recently having a discussion online with some other regular commentators on the agenda of the new administration. The main proponent of the ideas I was challenging had suggested frequently that Liberals, and the Obama administration in particular are dangerous, even objectively evil, synonymous with the Nazis and Gestapo (their choice of words). While responding to this person, I articulated some thoughts that have been on my heart and mind for the past few weeks as power has shifted in our nation, and people are digesting exactly what it means to them and to the country as a whole. I read my thoughts to my wife, as I so often do (poor woman...if I was one to worry about purgatory, I would be convinced she would be all taken care of...) and she suggested that I should post these thoughts to my blog.

Thus, here are my thoughts on the fundamental difference between Liberals and Conservatives, and the way forward.

I cannot really accept this understanding of the "enemy" as accurate, unfortunately. I will agree that within the Liberal ideology there are radically anti-Christian voices. However, I do not accept your suggestion that to be liberal at all is to be part of a false religion, or that it makes you an enemy of God and the Church, or the heirs of the Nazi legacy. That is simply a lie.

The key to understanding Liberals, IMHO, is to understand that they allow for the Christian haters. But then, they allow for pretty much anything. I do not find all of their arguments for the equal treatment of all ideas reasonable, or convincing. However, and I cannot stress this enough, I do think it is important that we Christian Conservatives stop shadow boxing and engage in the reality of the situation. There is no reason to put ourselves at violent odds with all of Liberalism because Liberalism allows for evil voices and thoughts. Liberal ideology is more than one long move against the Church and Christ. Strategically, the sooner we grasp this, the sooner we can avoid marginalizing ourselves out of the great debate. America is not Israel of the Old Testament. We are a gentile nation in the age of the church. Our government, though founded on distinctly Christian values, is not a Christian organization, and there's nothing wrong with asserting or recognizing that fact.

Liberals disagree with Conservatives about one very central issue; the role of the government in our lives. Within that disagreement there is room for all sorts of sub-arguments. I believe the mistake that is being made by the statements above is they confuse sub-arguments for the ideology itself.

Conservatives argue that Liberals want a government so large it removes the freedom of the individual under the auspices of protecting individuals from other, stronger individuals, while allowing those same individuals to be morally whatever they individually deem worthwhile. Liberals argue that Conservatives remove all protection from the state, thus allowing individuals to be tyrannical, and that hypocritically we want no government interference except in areas of personal morality.

Both sides have merit, which is why neither side has disappeared, even after losing major elections in the past few decades. This Republic, if it will continue to prosper, must see the two sides find a peaceful middle ground...which means compromise on both sides. Neither side will ever be completely satisfied...but such is the nature of a government of the people. I cannot get a room of 18 thirteen year olds to co-operate and agree...what hope is there of getting unified consensus amongst 300 million? So we have to be content with compromise, and stop trying to paint each other as demons or puritanical Salem Witch Hunters.